COW Pays Chris Shays a Visit

Connecticut Opposes the War (COW) paid a visit to Congressman Christopher Shays last Saturday. A group of around 25 anti-war activists met at Ellsworth Park in the Black Rock section of Bridgeport. Cable Channel 12 interviewed COW organizer John Murphy and he explained the terrible price the country and the state has paid for the past five years of this disastrous war. The eventual cost of the war has been estimated to top $3 trillion and in addition to the terrible cost in lives, priorities at home such as education, health care and housing are facing budget cuts.

The group marched approximately a fifth of a mile down Seabright Ave. to Beacon St. where Congressman Chris Shays has a home on the Bridgeport Sound. Four members of the group along with State Representative Jack Hennessy went to the door to present Shays with a letter expressing that his support of Bush's war and John McCain who said we will stay in Iraq 100 years if we have to is not acceptable. Chris Shays' wife came to the door and spoke to the group and indicated that Chris was not at home, that he was actually in the Middle East on his 20th visit there.

Afterwards, Rep. Hennessy spoke with Cable Channel 12 saying that "It seems like he's in the Middle East more than he's at home and I don't know what he's seeing over there because he is saying that the war is having a positive effect and that is absolutely untrue."

After meeting with Mrs. Shays, members of the group went door to door passing out leaflets explaining the cost of the war and encouraging the area residents to contact Shays and Senator Joe Lieberman to tell them to end the war now.







For more information about Connecticut Opposes the War, go to www.ctcow.org. Also, for information about our national priorities, visit www.nationalpriorities.org

The Political Prosecution of Gov. Don Siegelman II

More evidence is coming out point to a Republican conspiracy to indict and convict former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman. This new evidence implicates Rob Riley, the son of the state's current Republican governor. The Huffington Post is reporting that new court documents and official testimony suggests a wide conspiracy to not only prosecute Siegelman, but to also profit from the case. Don Siegelman is currently serving a 7 year sentence as a result of this politically motivated conviction.

People would be shocked to think that in America, political prisoners are being sent to jail. Surely this can't be happening in the United States. Such is the state of justice under the current administration where all policies are political. Congress must begin an investigation of the case so that the public can see what has happened to our Justice Department and so we can begin to heal the damage to the rule of law that has been inflicted over the past 7 years. Call or email your congressman and ask them to push Congressman John Conyors to open a Judiciary Committee investigation into this matter.

It's Time for Impeachment Hearings to Begin.

President Bush this week vetoed a bill that could have finally ended the debate over waterboarding and torture by the United States. Instead of restoring our nation's standing in the world and setting us on a course to rejoin the league of nations that have signed the Geneva Conventions and that condemn torture of prisoners in any form, President Bush continues to support a policy that violates our values, diminishes our moral authority in the world, puts our own soldiers at risk and ultimately makes us less safe. It seems clear that this president sees himself as above the law and above answering to the American people who elected him (maybe).

Since becoming President and Vice President in 2001, George Bush and Dick Cheney have sought to increase the power of the Executive Branch. They have abused executive privilege and they have flaunted Congressional efforts to exercise their Constitutional power of oversight. They have violated domestic and international laws by ordering illegal wiretapping and by authorizing torture of prisoners held in US custody. They have done these things in an atmosphere of fear that was triggered by the events of 9/11. However fearful we Americans are about the security of our nation, we should not allow our leaders to overthrow the Constitution.

Leaders across the political spectrum have argued convincingly that Impeachment was created by the Founding Fathers as an ingenious and invaluable tool to prevent just the type of expanded Executive power we are witnessing today and that threatens the very foundation this nation was built on - most importantly that in America, no man is above the law.

For a balanced assessment of this topic, one can read the transcript or watch the video from Bill Moyer's Journal from this past July. Bruce Fein, a life-long conservative that worked in the Reagan Justice Department and wrote the first article of impeachment against Bill Clinton and John Nichols, a liberal correspondent with The Nation and author of the book The Genius of Impeachment: The Founders' Cure for Royalism, both argue that impeachment of this administration is not only necessary, but it is America's duty in order to prevent this and future Administrations from exercising Executive powers not bestowed by the Constitution.

If you agree with this assessment, then you can take action by going to http://www.wexlerwantshearings.com/. Congressman Robert Wexler of Florida is spearheading an effort to convince the House Judiciary Committee Chairman, John Conyers, to convene impeachment hearings pertaining to Vice President Cheney. Twenty members of Congress have already signed on to this effort. You can sign up to support this effort as well and let Congress know that you support the checks and balances that are spelled out in the Constitution. For more on this movement, go to http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/ or http://www.democrats.com/ and let your voice be heard.

Remember When America Had a President That Could Inspire A Country to Greatness

Having lived through the last seven years of the Bush administration, it is easy to forget that America once elected eloquent men who's command of the English language could inspire and uplift a nation struggling through bleak and trying times. Almost nightly, David Letterman with his Great Moments in Presidential Speeches segments reminds us that the current inhabitant of the White House is to say the least challenged in the inspiration department. His insistence in mispronouncing the important word nuclear, "nucular", is a continuing source of embarrassment for wordsmiths everywhere.

It is comforting to know that these last seven years are generally an aberration in American history. As a nation, we have been blessed with eloquent and inspiring leaders, from the Founding Fathers to Abraham Lincoln to John Kennedy and on occasion Bill Clinton. However, perhaps one of our greatest and most inspiring leaders was Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Seventy-five years ago this week, FDR was first inaugurated as the 32nd President of the United States. He came into office in the midst of the Great Depression and starting with his inaugural speech, he began to lift a nation from its despair. Unlike todays leaders who have skillfully used fear to manipulate a nation facing a crisis, Roosevelt rejected that very fear and offered the country hope that through common sacrifice, all boats could be lifted.

On Tuesday, the 75th anniversary of FDR's inauguration, The Brattleboro Reformer editorial paid tribute to this inspiring leader and we are reminded that when we elect people to office that truly believe that government can solve problems, great things can be accomplished. FDR's legacy is still with us today, despite the efforts of conservatives to reverse his many achievements. His words can still inspire us to work harder to carry on his legacy. We need it today more than ever!